Assess the significance of the Berlin Blockade in the development of

the Cold War in Europe to 1955

F: Topic OCW
Type Event based
Timeframe 1945-1955
A: Berlin blockade was a factor that did contribute in the development of
the CW
The Berlin Blockade was more important than other factors in
contributing to the CW
C: CW criteria
. Mutual tensions
. Action Reaction Scenarios
. Mutually opposing blocs (economically and militarily)
HOTs LT vs ST
Evidence
. Berlin blockade 1955
. Truman doctrine 1947 VS Comecon, cominform
. NATO vs Warsaw Pact
. Korean War
Stand
Berlin blockade did create mutual opposing blocs and was the microcosm
of the CW Conflict in Europe. However it was only a ST development and it
fell in 1949 thus it had little effect in the CW events after 1949.




INTRO
The Berlin blockade in 1948 did influence the development of the CW to a
certain extent however it did so only in the short run as it ended in 1949.
The key factor in affecting the development of the CW is the Truman
doctrine in 1947. Though the Berlin Blockade did created opposing blocs
and heightened tensions between the superpowers.
TS 1
The Berlin blockade of 1948 did affect the CW to a certain extent. The
Berlin blockade was a tangible division of European territory and could be
said to be a microsm of the bigger European Division. The Berlin blockade
was an event that arised after the allied powers introduce a new currency in
their zone of influence, in order to strengthen western Germany
economically. The Soviet Union (SU) feared that the allied powers wanted
to make use of an economically strong Germany to invade the USSR thus
this sparked off action-reaction scenarios where the SU cut off all supplies
into Berlin, in order to ensure there wont be any military threat to the SU.
However this appeared to USA as attempts to Sovietize Berlin thus this led
to the Berlin Airlift where USA flew planes to supply western Berlin. This
could be seen as the division of Berlin into two mutually opposing both
economically and physically. Though in 1949 the protests eventually led to
the collapse of the Berlin wall thus the effect of the Berlin wall on the CW
had minimal impact in the Long run, yet it cannot be denied that in the short
term the Berlin wall event did affect the CW.\
TS 2 & 3
The most important event that crafted CW developments was the Truman
Doctrine in 1947, it led to heightening of tensions between the two
superpowers and was the cause of policies taken by Stalin thereafter that
led to a domino effect of action-reaction scenarios from both sides and, in
the process, led to the creation of two mutually opposing blocs in Europe. It
was initiated by the Truman administration after USA received the Kennan
Long telegram in 1946 which led USA to believe that the USSR was
expansionistic in nature, increasing her suspicions of her Superpower rival.
The misinterpretation of The Sovietization of Eastern Europe and Trumans
National economic interest in Europe led to TDs implementation. Through
the Marshall Plan USA offered aid to countries of Europe only if they accept
to be tied to the USA economy and allow USAs entrance ,through exports
and other means, into their economies. This policy was largely accepted by
most Western European States but was frowned upon by the USSR. They
believe that USA was attempting through their Capitalist ideologies to kill
communism, sparking off tensions between the Superpowers. All of
USSRs Eastern European satellite states, which had pro-Russian
governments followed suit. Though not physical, Europe had been split into
two opposing economic spheres. One that sided with USA, the other with
USSR. From 1948-1952 the total spending amounted to $13 billion. The
combined effect of the termination of the Lend Lease and USA flexing her
economic muscle through dollar diplomacy, compelled the USSR to react.
Triggering a chain of counter-measures and events such as the Molotov
plan and Cominform and this pattern repeated in the LR, thus, showing that
the TD was the Key factor in influencing the CW.